“Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.”
Haile Selassie

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Ted Cruz to Announce at Indianapolis Rally that Carly Fiorina Will Be His Running Mate

The day after several crushing, albeit expected, defeats for Ted Cruz in several Eastern state primaries, attention turns to Indiana's pivotal May 3rd primary. With that change in direction comes the news that Ted Cruz has selected Hewlett-Packard executive and former presidential candidate Carly Fiorina to be his running mate.

During the campaign, Fiorina was widely praised as the best debater. (Trump was routinely rated as

Carly Fiorina

the worst.) She came across as extremely knowledgeable on the issues and articulate in presenting her position on those issues. Where Fiorina's campaign failed was in execution between the candidate's TV appearances.

With that announcement, Ted Cruz hits a home run. The move is brilliant in so many ways.

First it comes at a perfect time. Cruz needs to change the narrative after Trump's blowout blue state primary wins out East. Cruz could have killed the story by releasing it before Tuesday's round of primaries. But he wisely waited until afterward...when the focus turned to Indiana, the state in which Cruz desperately needs to get his groove back.

Second, Fiorina brings a burst of energy to a campaign that had begun to lag in enthusiasm.

Third, just as Fiorina was at her best in going after Hillary Clinton, she will play the perfect foil to Donald Trump. Fiorina is considerably brighter than Trump, much more knowledgeable about the issues, and would destroy Trump in any sort of intellectual exchange. She is at her best when on attack which she will no doubt be called to do so against Trump.

Fourth, the Fiorina selection exploits Trump's weakness with women. As one political analyst noted, while it is debatable whether Trump is a racist, there is positively no doubt Donald Trump is a sexist. He judges the value of women based on their looks and infamously noted that he found Fiorina's face to be unappealing. I'm sure that Fiorina will remind Hoosier women of Trump's comment.

Fifth, Fiorina can help out Cruz in California, a state he must do better in if he is going to deny Trump a first round nomination. Fiorina ran for Senate in California in 2010. While Fiorina did not win (not surprising since she is a Republican running in one of the most liberal states in the union) she no doubt has considerable GOP contacts and support remaining in that state. Cruz will desperately need those contracts and support given that his campaign is lagging in Califorina, a state the Texas Senator must do well in if Trump is going to be denied a first round victory.

Cruz is far from getting momentum back. But his selection of Fiorina is certainly a step in the right direction.

Are you one of the "real Republicans" who support the liberal, big government Donald Trump for President? The same Donald Trump who said he is "very pro choice" and supports partial birth abortion and who wants an expansion of Obamacare so it is universal health care that is paid for by "the government?" The same Donald Trump who only became a Republican in 2012? That same Donald Trump who gave tens of thousands of dollars to Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi and who praised them as great leaders?

I'm a former GOP-er who abhors what the party has become --especially Trump, but also Cruz, Pence the Indiana General Assembly and all of the horror stories in the US congress....but Paul, you have got to be kidding when you say this is a brilliant move....Fiorina brings nothing to the ticket for Cruz -- this is a desperate act by a desperate campaign in the final days to upstage a series of stunning defeats the day before and to move Trump's foreign policy speech off the top of the headlines....as someone associated with the Cruz campaign admitted, they did some polling and found that Fiorina added perhaps a point or two...she may help Cruz win a few evangelical women votes, (his negatives are bad, though not as bad as Trump's with women) but I think the die has been cast for the GOP -- you die hard conservatives need to come to terms with the reality that the GOP is imploding -- start looking ahead to 2020. I think some sort sort of deal was struck between Cruz and Carly that helped Carly retire some campaign debt or something to that effect, but Paul, it's over....time to move on...

About Me

I have been an attorney since the Fall of 1987. I have worked in every branch of government, including a stint as a Deputy Attorney General, a clerk for a judge on the Indiana Court of Appeals, and I have worked three sessions at the Indiana State Senate.
During my time as a lawyer, I have worked not only in various government positions, but also in private practice as a trial attorney handing an assortment of mostly civil cases.
I have also been politically active and run this blog in an effort to add my voice to those calling for reform.